When I Grow Up, I Want To Be A Shoe Diva

In the early 2000s, there existed this aesthetic now affectionately known as "shoe diva." This niche genre is categorized by swirly fonts and girly illustration styles. The figureheads include Carrie Bradshaw, Rebecca Bloomwood, Fran Fine, Blair Waldorf, and more. Shoe diva women are stylish shopaholics known to have a cocktail in one hand and a designer purse in the other. They live a single, independent "it girl" lifestyle. They often have careers in journalism or fashion. Their stilettos click-clack on the pavements of New York City as they exude sassy, confident attitudes that everyone else aspires to emulate. They're glamorous, classy, chic, and at times, a little flirty. Their outfits are expertly curated, and their makeup is flawless. The shoe diva aesthetic also often references Parisian motifs and iconography. If you're like me, you grew up idolizing this lifestyle and believing that it was the promised future. If, as a little girl, you dressed up in your mom's high heels and snuck lip gloss to school, you were most likely on the shoe diva pipeline. So if you are still waiting for that once-promised future, to you I present the definitive guide to the shoe diva lifestyle and how you can become a shoe diva woman yourself!

A French manicure, glossy lips, a bronzed smoky eye, shiny locks, and a dousing of luxurious perfume are key elements to her look. A latte and bagel for breakfast while flipping through the latest edition of Vogue in her eclectically styled yet cohesive apartment is her ideal morning. For work, her clothes are crisply pressed and accessorized; a chunky pair of bangles or a thin pair of rhinestoned glasses perfectly completes the ensemble. Then of course there are the after-work drinks with the girls or weekend shopping trips on Fifth Avenue. The melodies of Madonna, Jessica, Janet, Mariah, and Britney are the soundtrack to her life. She embraces these little things every single day, and ultimately they make up who she is.

There are varying degrees of shoe diva; for example, Andie Anderson and Carrie Bradshaw are quite different, but they both fall under the shoe diva umbrella. You also have the "aspiring shoe divas" like Brooke Davis, Poppy Moore, Cher Horowitz, London Tipton, and Sharpay Evans, who are poised to be shoe diva women in their adulthood. One thing about a shoe diva is that she is incredibly smart, more so than she is given credit for. To some, specifically insufferable men, she's vapid or "a ditz with a credit card." In reality, she could mop the floor with you any day and never chip a nail while doing it. To put it into perspective, here is an example of a shoe diva icon putting her intelligence and femininity into action: "Isn't the first cardinal rule of perm maintenance that you're forbidden to wet your hair for at least 24 hours after getting a perm at the risk of deactivating the ammonium thioglycolate?"... you know the scene. When in doubt, look to Elle Woods as a beacon of inspiration. If, and I do mean if, a shoe diva chooses to have a man in her life, he is never one to dull her sparkle or reduce her shine; instead, he rolls out the red carpet for her in an impeccably tailored suit that was specifically selected for him. For as clever and assertive as she is, a shoe diva is also incredibly kind-hearted and exudes a bubbly personality and loves her life even if at times it's messy.

Her closet is bursting at the seams, full of to-die-for heels, sparkly tops, chic coats, and flattering cocktail dresses. Basically take a nod from Carrie Bradshaw's closet and you'll find all the inspiration you need. Designer brands like Chanel and Dior are, of course, desired, but shoe divas can notoriously be semi-broke, so there are lots of other ways to get those posh pieces. Vintage stores are a must, and nowadays you can accumulate second-hand pieces easier than ever with online thrift retailers like Etsy, eBay, ThreadUp, Depop, Poshmark, etc. I, however, am partial to in-person shopping, even just to browse. A shopping day is an ideal shoe diva outing, especially when it is accompanied by coffee and a stylish outfit.

There's also reading material. My petition is to bring back magazine collecting and perusing. Keep a copy of Vogue, Cosmopolitan, Better Homes & Gardens, or whatever you desire with you for whenever you have free time needing filling. Instead of scrolling social media, grab your magazine and skim the pages. Pulling out a magazine when you're in a waiting room or on a plane just makes you cooler than everyone around you. Not to mention, you can find great inspiration and can either hold onto the magazine for your collection or use it for junk journaling or general collaging after you're done reading! This also goes for books, but with the reading boom of the last few years, this area is pretty easily obtainable, and the material can consist of whatever you enjoy. The feeling of physical material in your hands, to me, is a treasured experience far superior to that of a phone. The same goes for collecting other physical media like CDs, DVDs, and VHS. I cannot say enough how much I love buying physical media and garnering my own personal collection. The title menus on DVDs add to your viewing pleasure (I miss when little details like that were given so much thought and effort!), AND no commercials... bonus! Once again, thrifting is going to be your best friend in this department. Check your local thrift stores or chains like Savers and Goodwill, and if you have one near you, I highly recommend Half Price Books. Other analog items that are very on-brand for a shoe diva can include a Filofax or daily planner, address/phone book, diary, digital camera, and CD player (not just for CDs; I love putting my favorite early aughts local FM radio station on in the background).

When it comes to fitness, I find I'm more willing to get active when I put on a cute athletic outfit (my inspo is mostly taken from what celebs were wearing to yoga in the early '00s) and find exercises that I actually enjoy doing. There are plenty of ways you can be active at home without having to spend money on a class or gym. You can go on a walk or find videos to put on your TV, such as yoga, dance, Pilates, or 5-10 minute target-area workouts. Filling your time with activities that are not your phone is going to make you feel a million times happier and more productive and bring you back down to earth. Write a column or short story on your laptop à la Carrie Bradshaw, have a dance party in your bedroom, make a bucket list, exercise, rearrange your furniture, bake a sweet treat... the possibilities are endless!

At the end of the day, the labels on your clothes or the career you pursue do not make or break your shoe diva status. What it really comes down to is your attitude and the way in which you present yourself. When you wake up in the morning, set yourself up for success by imagining you are in your own romcom, and the opening montage is playing as you brush your teeth and rifle through your closet for a fabulous outfit. Every day can be special if you just have the mindset for it, and every day can be a shoe diva day if you set yourself up for it. Romanticize everything you do, light your favorite candle, put jewelry on for lounging around the house, use glitter gel pens, put your favorite music on when you make your breakfast, etc. Mundane activities should be made fun too. Eventually, you won't have to think about the act of doing these things; you will just be able to do them naturally. You are a shoe diva, so go act like it! XO

Shoe Diva Films:

Confessions of a Shopaholic

Uptown Girls

13 Going on 30

How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days

Sex and the City: The Movie

Legally Blonde

Clueless

Wild Child

The Devil Wears Prada

Shoe Diva TV Shows:

The Nanny

Desperate Housewives

Sex and the City

Girlfriends

Gossip Girl

Beverly Hills, 90210

The Simple Life

Newlyweds: Nick & Jessica

The Hills

Any good shoe diva day starts with a bubbly soundtrack as you coat your skin in lush skincare and dance around in your bathrobe. Here's that divalicious playlist for you: